South Africa Education Statistics (2026)

What to know

In South Africa, adult literacy in 2024 (closest available) stood at 91.2%, reflecting high literacy levels. Primary completion in 2024 (closest available) reached 97.6%, indicating near-universal primary education. Tertiary enrollment in 2023 (closest available) was 23%, indicating limited participation. The out-of-school rate in 2023 (closest available) was 6.1%, with room for improvement in access.

Key statistics for 2025

No statistics available for 2025.

Key terms

Literacy rate: — Percentage of population who can read and write a short, simple statement about everyday life.
Gross enrollment ratio: — Total enrollment in a level of education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the eligible school-age population.
Completion rate: — Percentage of a cohort of children who complete a given level of education.
Out-of-school rate: — Percentage of children of official school age who are not enrolled in school.
Pupil-teacher ratio: — Average number of pupils per teacher at a given level of education.
Educational attainment: — Highest level of education completed by the population aged 25 and over.